Interchangeable fork-crown.



No. 714,936. u Patented Dec. 2,1902..

".MLLEs 'a w. A. .lAcKsoN. INTERGHANGEABLE FURK CROWN.

(Applicaion lod Apr. 10, 1902.)

(No Model.)

UNTTn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HUGO MLLER AND VILLIAM A. JACKSON, OF OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA.

INTERCHANGEABLE FORK-CROWN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 714,936, dated December 2, 1902.

Application filed April 10,

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that we, HUGO MLLER and WILLIAM A. JACKSON, citizens of the United States, residing at Oakland, county of Alameda, and State of California, have invented an Improvement in Interchangeable Fork- Crowns; and we hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

Our invention relates to improvements in bicycle fork-crowns. Its primary object is to provide a crown to which the forks may be secured otherwise than by the ordinary method of brazing, which necessarily weakens a vital part of the machine.

A further object is to provide a spring-fork of extreme simplicity, strength, and durability particularly adapted to our crown.

It consists of a crown integral with the steering-post and having segmental flanges at its ends, fork sides adapted to it within and be embraced by said anges, and means for locking the crown and fork sides together.

Having reference to the accompanying drawings, Figure I is a perspective view of our invention. Fig. 2 is a front View and part section. Fig. 3 is a view of a spring-fork. Fig. 4 is a view of a cap. Fig. 5 is a sectional View of the upper part of a solid fork. Fig. 6 is a sectional View of the upper part of a solid fork bolted vertically.

A represents the steering-post of a bicycle. The crown 2 is integral with the post. Its ends are provided with segmental flanges 3, which extend outwardly in the direction of the axis of the crown to form a socket or recess 4t open toward the lower end of the post. The sides of the flanges are approximately parallel and are a trilie extended below the lower side of the crown-piece, so as to give a sufficient bearing for the fork sides, which are adapted to fit into the sockets 1I. The fork sides may be of either the rigid or the spring type, preferably the latter, as the crown has been designed particularly for this style. The fork sides are each made of a single piece of spring-steel bent upon itself to form a main spring portion 5 and a reinforcing-leaf 6, as in Fig. 3. The bent portion 7 of the spring is of a shape and size just to it snug within the walls of the sockets 4. The lower end of the portion 5 may be curved Serial No. 102,180. (No model.)

slightly, and slots 8 are adapted to receive the axle-bolt of the front Wheel of the bicycle.

The leaf portion 6 engages the portion 5 intermediate of the ends of the latter to give the proper resiliency and added strength required. In the bottom of each socket 4 is a projecting boss or lug 9, which engages the adjacent sides of the spring members 5 and 6. The space between the lug and either side of its corresponding flange 3 is just sufficient to admit the fork side, so that the latter is firmly supported in the socket and prevented from turning.

The crown has a perforation l0 extending through it lengthwise. A perforated cap 11 ts on over the outer end of each of the flanges to give finish to the wheel and prevent lateral displacement of the forks, and the parts are locked together by means of a bolt l2, passing through the eyes 13 of the fork sides. The caps have each a peripheral flange 19, overlapping the flange 3, and aprojection 20, fitting between the spring members 5 and 6 and coperating with the lugs 9 to lock the fork sides more firmly. There may be a bolt for each cap screwing into a threaded portion at either end of the perforation 10 in the crown, in which case the outer end of the bolt may have a polygonal walled socket 13a, adapted to receive a Wrench, or a single bolt may be passed entirely through the crown and both caps.

The crown-sockets are adapted to receive a rigid fork ot' the construction shown in Fig. 5.

The fork 5 is made with a solid enlarged head portion 7' of a shape and size to fit the sockets `and provided with a recess 14 to accommodate the lugs i). It has an eye 13 coincident with the perforation in the cap and that in the crown through which the locking screw or bolt is inserted. i

In Fig. 6 is shown another means for locking the fork sides in the crown-sockets. In this case the fork side is made with a drawnbolt portion 16 at the bend or upper end which is turned down and threaded and is adapted to project through a hole 17 in the wall of the socket when the head is fitted in the latter. The parts are locked together by means of a nut18. i

With this invention applied to a bicycle it IOO of a wheel being fitted to the taste, weight, or

other requirements of the rider.

Having thus described our invention, what we claimand desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination of a steering-post, a crown-piece integral therewith and having sockets opening outwardly in a horizontal plane, and fork sides detachably secured to said crown.

2. The combination of a steering-post, a forkcrown, having sockets with open ends facing in opposite directions,fork sides fitting said sockets and means by which said sides are detachably secured in said crown.

3. The combination in an interchangeable fork-crown, of a steering-post, a crown-piece having flanges at its ends and having sockets open on two sides, fork sides, said flanges adapted to embrace said fork sides and means by which said fork sides are detachably secured to the crown-piece.

4. The combination of a steering-post, a crown-piece in which are sockets open on two sides, fork sides fitting said sockets, said fork sides each consisting of a single piece of steel bent upon itself, and means by which said sides are detachably secured to said crownpiece.

5. The combination in an interchangeable fork-crown, of a steering-post, a crownpiece having outwardly-extending segmental flanges at its ends, spring fork sides each consisting of a single piece of steel bent upon itself, the bent portion of said fork sides f1tting within and adapted to be embraced by said flanges, a cap fitting over the end of said fianges and a bolt by which the parts are held together.

6. The combination in an interchangeable fork-crown, of a steering-post, a longitudinally-perforated crown-piece integral therewith, said crown-piece having sockets open at one side and the bottom, fork sides adapted to be inserted into said sockets, caps by which the open side of the sockets is closed and the fork sides prevented from lateral displacement, projections or lugs engaging the fork sides to prevent their turning, and a bolt adapted to be embraced by the fork sides and it the perforation of the crown-piece whereby the parts are locked together.

In witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands.

HUGO MULLER. WILLIAM A. JACKSON. Witnesses:

EARL C. LITTLE, CHARLES I-I. BULLooK. 

